Dynamic binding and bridging in a communication system
First Claim
1. A method of processing calls in a switch of a communication system, the method comprising the steps of:
- establishing on a dynamic basis an association in the switch between a first user terminal and at least one other terminal of the system; and
permitting a user assigned to the first terminal to access one or more functions of the other terminal in conjunction with a bridging of the first user terminal and the other terminal that is implemented at least in part while the association exists, wherein the bridging creates for a given incoming call a bridged call appearance such that the call appears at both the first terminal and the other terminal and can be accepted at either one of the terminals.
19 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The invention provides dynamic binding and bridging between a mobile terminal and other more complex terminals in a communication system. In an illustrative embodiment, a temporary association is established, in a memory of a system switch, between the mobile and at least one other system terminal. While the mobile is “registered” in this manner to the other terminal, the mobile user can request permission to utilize the functions of the other terminal in order to, for example, receive incoming calls or place outgoing calls. The temporary association may be established based on a determination of the proximity of the mobile to the other terminal, such that the mobile registers to different complex system terminals as it moves between different cells of the system. The invention also provides techniques which allow users to access a user-defined profile for one terminal at another terminal of the system.
26 Citations
54 Claims
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1. A method of processing calls in a switch of a communication system, the method comprising the steps of:
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establishing on a dynamic basis an association in the switch between a first user terminal and at least one other terminal of the system; and
permitting a user assigned to the first terminal to access one or more functions of the other terminal in conjunction with a bridging of the first user terminal and the other terminal that is implemented at least in part while the association exists, wherein the bridging creates for a given incoming call a bridged call appearance such that the call appears at both the first terminal and the other terminal and can be accepted at either one of the terminals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
a null state in which there is no temporary association between the first terminal and any other terminal of the system;
a registered state in which the association is established, but the user has not yet obtained permission to access the functions of the other terminal;
a bound active state in which the association exists and the user is actively accessing the functions of the other terminal to conduct an on-going call;
a bound inactive state in which the association exists and the user has obtained permission to access the functions of the other terminal, but is not accessing the functions; and
a bound alerting state in which the association exists, the user has obtained permission to access the functions of the other terminal, and an in-coming call directed to the first terminal generates an alerting indication on the other terminal.
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5. The method of claim 4 wherein the first terminal moves from the bound inactive state to the registered state by the user entering an unbinding code on the first terminal, by the user entering an unbinding code on the other terminal, or by expiration of a timer measuring an amount of time the first terminal has been in the bound inactive state.
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6. The method of claim 4 wherein the first terminal moves from the bound inactive state to the bound active state if an incoming call directed to the first terminal arrives in the switch, the association between the first terminal and the other terminal exists, and the other terminal is not active with another call.
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7. The method of claim 4 further including the steps of:
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initiating a call dis-establishment procedure to terminate an on-going call at the other terminal;
setting a bound inactive timer which measures an amount of time the first user is in the bound inactive state; and
terminating the association between the first terminal and the other terminal when the bound inactive timer reaches a predetermined value.
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8. The method of claim 1 wherein the establishing step further includes the steps of:
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receiving from the first terminal a registration code and a destination number of the other terminal;
verifying that the first terminal is permitted to establish the association with the other terminal; and
updating information stored in the switch to reflect establishment of the association between the first terminal and the other terminal.
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9. The method of claim 1 wherein the establishing step further includes the steps of:
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receiving from the other terminal a registration code and a destination number of the first terminal;
verifying that the first terminal is permitted to establish the association with the other terminal; and
updating information stored in the switch to reflect establishment of the association between the first terminal and the other terminal.
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10. The method of claim 1 further including the steps of:
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receiving from the first terminal a deregistration code and a destination number of the other terminal;
verifying that the association exists between the first terminal and the other terminal;
terminating the association; and
updating information stored in the switch to reflect termination of the association between the first terminal and the other terminal.
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11. The method of claim 1 further including the steps of:
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receiving from the other terminal a deregistration code and a destination number of the first terminal;
verifying that the association exists between the first terminal and the other terminal;
terminating the association; and
updating information stored in the switch to reflect termination of the association between the first terminal and the other terminal.
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12. The method of claim 1 further including the steps of:
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receiving from the first terminal a binding code and a destination number of the other terminal;
verifying that the first terminal has established the association with the other terminal; and
updating information stored in the switch to reflect that the first terminal has obtained permission to utilize the functions of the other terminal.
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13. The method of claim 1 further including the steps of:
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receiving from the other terminal a binding code and a destination number of the first terminal;
verifying that the first terminal has established the association with the other terminal; and
updating information stored in the switch to reflect that the first terminal has obtained permission to utilize the functions of the other terminal.
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14. An apparatus for processing calls in a switch of a communication system, comprising:
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a memory for storing information regarding an association established on a dynamic basis in the switch between a first user terminal and at least one other terminal of the system; and
a processor coupled to the memory and operative to process calls in the switch such that a user assigned to the first terminal can access one or more functions of the other terminal in conjunction with a bridging of the first user terminal and the other terminal that is implemented at least in part while the association exists, wherein the bridging creates for a given incoming call a bridged call appearance such that the call appears at both the first terminal and the other terminal and can be accepted at either one of the terminals. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
a null state in which there is no temporary association between the first terminal and any other terminal of the system;
a registered state in which the association is established, but the user has not yet obtained permission to access the functions of the other terminal;
a bound active state in which the association exists and the user is actively accessing the functions of the other terminal to conduct an on-going call;
a bound inactive state in which the association exists and the user has obtained permission to access the functions of the other terminal, but has not yet accessed the functions; and
a bound alerting state in which the association exists, the user has obtained permission to access the functions of the other terminal, and an in-coming call directed to the first terminal generates an alerting indication on the other terminal.
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18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the first terminal moves from the bound inactive state to the registered state by the user entering an unbinding code on the first terminal, by the user entering an unbinding code on the other terminal, or by expiration of a timer measuring an amount of time the first terminal has been in the bound inactive state.
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19. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the first terminal moves from the bound inactive state to the bound active state if an incoming call directed to the first terminal arrives in the switch, the association between the first terminal and the other terminal exists, and the other terminal is not active with another call.
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20. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the processor is further operative to set a bound inactive timer which measures the amount of time the first user is in the bound inactive state, and to terminate the association between the first terminal and the other terminal when the bound inactive timer reaches a predetermined value.
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21. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the temporary relationship is established when the processor receives, from the first terminal, a registration code and a destination number of the other terminal.
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22. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the temporary relationship is established when the processor receives, from the other terminal, a registration code and a destination number of the first terminal.
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23. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the temporary relationship is terminated when the processor receives, from the first terminal, a deregistration code and a destination number of the other terminal.
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24. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the temporary relationship is terminated when the processor receives, from the other terminal, a deregistration code and a destination number of the first terminal.
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25. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the processor is further operative:
- (1) to receive from the first terminal a binding code and a destination number of the other terminal, (2) to verify that the first terminal has established the association with the other terminal, and (3) to update information stored in the switch to reflect that the first terminal has obtained permission to utilize the functions of the other terminal.
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26. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the processor is further operative:
- (1) to receive from the other terminal a binding code and a destination number of the first terminal, (2) to verify that the first terminal has established the association with the other terminal, and (3) to update information stored in the switch to reflect that the first terminal has obtained permission to utilize the functions of the other terminal.
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27. A method of processing calls in a switch of a communication system, the method comprising the steps of:
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storing information regarding a terminal profile for a first terminal assigned to a user of the system; and
providing at least a portion of the information regarding the terminal profile for the first terminal to a second terminal of the system when the user establishes a temporary association with the second terminal, so as to enable the user to operate the second terminal in accordance with the terminal profile of the first terminal. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. An apparatus for processing calls in a switch of a communication system, comprising:
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a memory for storing information regarding a terminal profile for a first terminal assigned to a user of the system; and
a processor which is operative to provide at least a portion of the information regarding the terminal profile for the first terminal to a second terminal of the system when the user establishes a temporary association with the second terminal, so as to enable the user to operate the second tennis in accordance with the terminal profile of the first terminal. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A method of processing calls in a switch of a communication system, the method comprising the steps of:
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establishing a relationship between at least one user assigned to a user terminal of the system and at least one other terminal of the system, wherein the relationship indicates that the system will permit a dynamic association between the user terminal and the other terminal, such that the user can access one or more functions of the other terminal in conjunction with a bridging of the user terminal and the other terminal that is implemented at least in part while the association exists, wherein the bridging creates for a given incoming call a bridged call appearance such that the call appears at both the user terminal and the other terminal and can be accepted at either one of the terminals; and
storing information regarding the relationship in a memory within the switch. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. An apparatus for processing calls in a switch of a communication system, the apparatus comprising:
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a processor operative to establish a relationship between at least one user assigned to a user terminal of the system and at least one other terminal of the system, wherein the relationship indicates that the system will permit a dynamic association between the user terminal and the other terminal, such that the user can access one or more functions of the other terminal in conjunction with a bridging of the user terminal and the other terminal that is implemented at least in part while the association exists, wherein the bridging creates for a given incoming call a bridged call appearance such that the call appears at both the user terminal and the other terminal and can be accepted at either one of the terminals; and
a memory for storing information regarding the relationship. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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53. A method of processing calls in a switch of a communication system, the method comprising the steps of:
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establishing on a dynamic basis an association in the switch between a first user terminal and at least one other terminal of the system; and
permitting a user assigned to the first terminal to access one or more functions of the other terminal in conjunction with a bridging of the first user terminal and the other terminal that is implemented at least in part while the association exists;
wherein the first terminal at a given point in time may be in one of a number of states of operation, including;
a null state in which there is no temporary association between the first terminal and any other terminal of the system;
a registered state in which the association is established, but the user has not yet obtained permission to access the functions of the other terminal;
a bound active state in which the association exists and the user is actively accessing the functions of the other terminal to conduct an on-going call;
a bound inactive state in which the association exists and the user has obtained permission to access the functions of the other terminal, but is not accessing the functions; and
abound alerting state in which the association exists, the user has obtained permission to access the functions of the other terminal, and an incoming call directed to the first terminal generates an alerting indication on the other terminal.
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54. An apparatus for processing calls in a switch of a communication system, comprising:
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a memory for storing information regarding an association established on a dynamic basis in the switch between a first user terminal and at least one other terminal of the system; and
a processor coupled to the memory and operative to process calls in the switch such that a user assigned to the first terminal can access one or more functions of the other terminal in conjunction with a bridging of the first user terminal and the other terminal that is implemented at least in part while the association exists;
wherein the first terminal at a given point in time may be in one of a number of states of operation, including;
a null state in which there is no temporary association between the first terminal and any other terminal of the system;
a registered state in which the association is established, but the user has not yet obtained permission to access the functions of the other terminal;
a bound active state in which the association exists and the user is actively accessing the functions of the other terminal to conduct an on-going call;
a bound inactive state in which the association exists and the user has obtained permission to access the functions of the other terminal, but is not accessing the functions; and
a bound alerting state in which the association exists, the user has obtained permission to access the functions of the other terminal, and an incoming call directed to the first terminal generates an alerting indication on the other terminal.
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Specification